FLIR thermal imaging cameras give night drivers a safety boost

Thermal imaging cameras capable of “seeing” objects at night and in dusty or smoky conditions, can significantly reduce the level of potential danger and trauma facing drivers of heavy vehicles.

FLIR’s PathFindIR range of thermal imaging cameras, which register and display heat not light, are currently widely used by the Australian armed forces and by police for pursuit and surveillance purposes.

And fire fighters use thermal imaging cameras to “see” through smoke.

PathFindIR Automotive Night Vision Systems enable drivers to detect and monitor potential hazards on or near the road, allowing more time to react to any potential danger.

Visual displays mounted inside the truck cabin produce clear images enabling drivers at night to spot people, animals or objects more than 800m away – normal illuminatednight vision on high beam is around 150m and under 100m on low beam.

And for massive haul trucks used in open-cut mines with their inherent vision problems,PathFindIR, could be a major safety step forward.

“ For a driver using this system it’s as easy as checking the rear vision mirrors,“ says FLIR’s Peter De Ieso. “It becomes second nature very quickly.”

“It is essential that all trucks be made as safe as possible for the sake of the drivers and the motoring public sharing the road, Mr De leso said.

“Thermal imaging cameras create the safety buffer that these large vehicles need and it gives drivers peace of mind as well knowing what’s ahead.

“ With the IR technology fitted, drivers can now be aware of potential hazards up aheadfar sooner than they ever could with even the very best headlights and extra driving lights fitted.

“ With a total weight of more than 62 tonnes, a B-Double travelling at 90kmh can take well over 200m to pull up in an emergency – and that’s after the driver has spotted the problem.

“Obviously if we stretch that vision envelope with PathFindIR to almost 900m it gives thedriver a great deal more time to spot the hazard and avoid it altogether.”

The PathFindIR range can also be fitted to long distance coaches, fixed wing aircraft, raillocomotives and mine trucks.